Railway signal system.



P. J. SIMMEN.

RAILWAY SIGNAL SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 26, I913.

1,%89,0%80 Patented Sept. 4:, 1917.

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7 'W Am PAUL J'. SIMMEN, 0F INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

RAILWAY SIGNAL SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Iatent.

Patented Sept. 4, 11917.

Application filed September 26, 1913. Serial No. 791,999.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it lmown that I, PAUL J. SIMMEN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway SignalSystems, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to signals for moving vehicles adapted to advisethe operator whether the conditions for proceeding are safe ordangerous.

The object of the invention is to provide a system whereby signals maybe given to vehicles in such-a manner that a signal intended to indicateone condition for one vehicle will indicate a difi'erent condition ifreceived by another vehicle. In the described form of the invention, thesignals are differently colored lights located within the range ofvision of the operator in the cab. A particularly advantageousapplication of the system is where a single track road is used fortrafiic in both directions, and clear signals intended for vehiclesmoving in one direction will produce danger signals if received byvehicles moving in the opposite direction. For example, the presentinven tion is peculiarly applicable in connection with or may be said toform a part of the s stem disclosedin co-pending application,

erial No. 791,451, filed Sept. 14, 1913.

In the drawings there is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention,the

parts being displayed diagrammatically in order to promote clearness ofunderstanding. In the drawings, 10' indicates the axle of a vehicleprovided with wheels traveling on rails 11, which may be suitablygrounded. The vehicle carries a yielding shoe 12 adapt ed to contactwith a signal rail 13 against the tension of a spring 14 which pressesit normally into engagement with an arm 15 also carried by the vehicle.There are a number of such signal rails arranged at suitable intervalsalong the way, and the shoe 12 is lifted when in contact therewith outof contact with the arm 15. These rails may be either electricallydeenergized, or energized, positively or negatively with respect to thetrack rails 11, at will by means of a switch 16 movable into or out ofengagement with either of the contact members 17 and 18 connected toopposite terminals of two batteries 19 and 20, the other terminals ofwhich are grounded.

The vehicle carries an electro-magnet indicated at 23 which has one endof its winding connected by a wire 24 to the shoe 12 and the other endthereof grounded, for instance, by a wire 25 connected to the axle 10.The magnet 23 has a ivoted non-polarized ar mature 26 and a pivotedpolarized armature 27. The position of the armature 26 depends Whollyupon whether or not the elec tro-magnet 23 is energized, regardless ofthe direction of the flow of current in its winding, such armature beingmoved to.its upper, or full line, position and into engagement withcontact members 28 and 29 when the magnet is energized and dropping toits lower or dotted line, position and into engagement with a contactmember 30 when the magnet is denergized. The position of the polarizedarmature 27 depends upon the direction of flow of the current throughthe magnet. It is moved to one position, shown in full line, when thecurrent flows in one direction, and to another position, shown in dottedline, when the current flows in the opposite direction, remaining ineither position in which it happens to be when the mag netbecomes-de'nergized. It carries a pair of oppositely arranged armsprovided with fingers 31 and 32, which engage contact members 33 and 34when it is in the full line position, and contact members 35 and 36 whenit is in the dotted line position.

The contacts 33 and 36 are connected with each otherand with oneterminal of a clear signal lamp 37 conventionally of a green color, andthe contacts 30, 35 and 34 are connected with each other and with oneside of a danger signal lam 38, conventionally of a red color. The 0t erterminals of the lamps 37 and 38 are connected to the wire 25. Thefingers 31 and 32 are adapted to connect with members 41 and 42 witheither of which a switch arm 43 may be moved into engagement, this armbeing connected in turn by a wire 44-to the member 28. The member 29 isconnected to the arm 15 by a wire 45 which includes the coil of anelectro-magnet 46 having an armature 47 drawn a bell 49 when the magnet46 becomes deenergized. The armature 26 and the wire 25 are connectedthrough a reversing switch 50 to the two sides of a local battery 51carried on the vehicle. This switch 50 and the switch43 are operatedtogether by a common handle indicated at 52.

The operation of the device is as follows:

Assuming that the signal rail 13 is nega-' tively energized with respectto the track rails 11, by reason of the fact that the switch 16 is incontact with the member 17, when the vehicle reaches this rail 13 itsshoe 12 is lifted to the position shown in the drawing and a currentpasses from the positive side of the battery 19 through the earth andthe rails 11 to the axle l0, thence through the wire 25, the magnet 23,the wire 24 to the shoe 12, the. rail 13, the switch 16, and the member17 to the negative side of the battery 19. The resultant energization ofthe magnet 23 lifts the armature 26 to its full line position (if it isnot already lifted) and moves the armature 27 to the full line position(if it is not already in such position). The switches 43 and 50 being inthe position shown in the drawing, a current passes from the positiveside of the battery 51 through one arm of the reversing switch 50, thewire 25, the green lamp 37, the contact 33, the finger 31, the contact41, the switch arm 43, the wire 44, the contact 28, the armature 26, andthe other arm of the reversing switch 50 to the negative side of thebattery 51, and the lamp 37 is lighted and gives a clear signal to theoperator, which light and signal continues after the train passes beyondthe signal rail 13, and the shoe 12 drops and engages 'the arm 15because the armatures 26 and 27 are held to their positions (shown infull line) by the continued energization of the magnet 23 with the samepolarity as before through the current from the battery 51, whichcurrent passes from the positive side of such battery through one arm ofthe switch 50, the wire 25, the magnet 23, the wire 24, the shoe 12, thearm 15, the magnet 46, the wire 45, the contact 29, the armature 26, andthe other arm of the switch 50 to the negative side of the battery 51.In other Words, although the impulse through the signal rails 13 isintermittent as they are arranged in succession along the track, theindication of the clear signal is continuous.

If the signal rail 13 is denergized when the shoe 12 passes over itbecause the switch 16 is'in its middle position, there results adeenergization of the magnet 23, for the local circuit through thebattery 51 is broken by-the separation of the shoe 12 from the arm 15and there is no current to take its place from either the battery 19 orthe battery 20. Consequently, the armature 26 drops to the positionindicated in dotted line on the drawing and closes a circuit from thepositive side of the battery 51, through one arm of the switch 50, thewire 25, the red lamp 38, the contact 30, the armature 26, and the otherarm of the switch 50 to the negative side of the battery 51, and thelamp 38 glows and gives a danger signal to the operator, on seeing whichhe should stop his train. and take such steps as are necessary forprotection. Furthermore, his attention is called to the possibility of achange in signals when the signal rail is reached by the shoe 12 by thesounding of the bell 49 upon the deenergization of the magnet 46 whichresultsfrom the separation of the shoe 12 from the arm 15. If thevehicle does not stop with the shoe 12 on the rail 13, but proceedsbeyond such rail, the reengagement of the shoe 12 with the contact arm15 does not restablish the local circuit from the magnet 23, becausesuch circuit is broken by the disengagement of the contact 29 andarmature 26, and the latter remains in engagement with the contact 30.Therefore, the danger signal persists after the passage of the vehiclebeyond the deenergized signal rail. In other words, in this case alsothere is a continuous signal indication from an intermittent impulse.

If the rail 13 is positively energized with respect to the track rails11, by reason of the fact that the switch 16 is in engagement with themember 18, the contact of the shoe 12 with such rail closes a circuitfrom the positive side of the battery 20 through the member 18, theswitch 16, the rail 13, the shoe 12, the wire 24, the magnet 23, thewire 25, the axle 10, and the rails 11 to the negative side of thebattery 20. The resultant energization of the magnet 23 is in thereverse direction from that produced when the rail 13 was negativelyenergized, and lifts, or holds lifted, the armature 26 to the positionindicated in full line in the drawing and moves the armature 27 to theposition indicated. in dotted lines in the drawing and breaks thecircuit for the green lamp 37 (assuming that such circuit hastheretofore been established), and estab lishes a circuit for the redlamp 38, from the positive side of the battery 51 through one arm of theswitch 50, the Wire 25, the red lamp 38, the contact '35, the finger 31,the contact 41,.the switch arm 43, the con tact 28, the armature 26, andthe other arm ot the reversing switch 50 to the negative side of thebattery 51. Thus with the switches 43 and 50 in the position shown inthe drawing, the positive energization of the rail 13 produces a dangersignal, upon receiving which the operator should stop. His attentionisalso called to the danger signal by the tapping of the bell 49 whichtakes place whenever the shoe 12 engages the rail 13 if the magnet 23 isenergized when such engagement takes Place (or in other words, if thereis a possibility of a change of signals to dan er).

If the operator does not stop, but proceeds beyond the rail 13, the shoe12 rengages' the arm 15 because of the action of the spring 14 pressingit against such arm. In the practical operation of the apparatus theparts are so arranged that on account of the usual ramp of the signalrail 13 there occurs a momentary practically simultaneous engagement ofthe shoe 12 with both the rail 13 and the arm 15, which connects thebatteries 20 and 51 in series by a circuit passing from the positiveside of the battery 20 through the member 18, the switch 16, the rail13, the shoe 12, the arm 15, the wire 45, the contact 29, the armature26, one arm of the reversing switch 50, the battery 51, the other arm ofthe reversing switch 50, the wire 25, the axle 10, and the rails 11, tothe negative side of the battery 20, which circuit does not include themagnet 23 thereby causing a short circuit around 23 and deenergizing 23sufficiently to allow the armature 26 to drop out of engagement withcontacts 28 and 29 and into engagement with the contact 30. However, ifthe momentarily simultaneous engagement of the shoe 12 with the rail 13and the contact finger 1d does not take place, as may sometimes happen,the circuit for energizing the magnet 23 from the battery 20 is brokenbefore thatfor energizing it from the battery 51 is established, and themagnet 23 is thus de-magnetized sufficiently long to allow the armature26 to drop, as aforesaid. Even in case the disengagement of the shoe 12from the rail 13 should occur exactly simultaneously with its engagementWith the arm 15, if that is possible, the resultant reversal of currentin the winding of the magnet 23 produces a momentary de-magnetization ofthe latter which causes the armature 26 to drop, as aforesaid, and thedemagnetization to continue because of the dropping of the armature.Thus, in any case, as the shoe 12 passes off the positively energizedrail 13 the armature 26 drops into engagement with the member 30, whichprevents the re-magnetization of the magnet 23 by the local battery 51,and also completes another circuit for the red lamp 38 from the positiveside of the battery 51 through one arm of the switch 50, the wire 25,the lamp 38, the contact 30, the armature 26, and the other arm of thereversing switch 50 to the negative side of the battery 51.

Thus the danger signal produced by the engagement of the shoe 12 with apositively energized rail 13 produces a danger signal through onecircuit while the shoe remains in contact with such rail and maintainssuch danger signal through another circuit as the shoe passes out ofsuch contact.

According to the foregoing, the negative energization of the rail 13produces a clear signal, and the denergization or the positiveenergization of the rail 13 produces a danger signal. By moving thehandle 52 to the left and thus throwing the switches 43 and 50 to theirother positions, the connections are changed so that the positiveenergization of the rail 13 will produce a clear signal and itsdenergization or negative energization a danger signal. In such a case,the circuits are the same as before except that the currents will flowin the opposite direction and the contact finger 32 and the contacts 341and 36 will take the place of the contact finger 31 and the contacts 35and 33, respectively.

Supposing then that there are two vehicles on the same track and on onevehicle the switches 50 and 43am in the position shown in the diagram,and on the other vehicle they are in the opposite position. It isobvious that either the positive or negative energization of the signalrails 13 along the Way through the current flowing over a single wirewill cause a clear signal to be indicated on the one vehicle and adanger signal to be indicated on the other vehicle and vice versa, andthis irrespective of the direction in which the vehicles may be moving,and that the deenergization of such rails will cause a danger signal tobe displayed on both vehicles. In other words the change in the polarityof the current passing over the single wire to the signal railsaccomplishes through the described system the same purpose that hasheretofore been possible only by the use of more than one wire.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a signal system for a vehicle moving along a trackway, twosignals, a source of electrical current and two armatures on thevehicle, an electromagnet for the armatures, one of said armatures beingneutral and the other polarized, a normally closed circuit on "thevehicle including the neutral armature, means for intermittentlyinterrupting said circuit during the passage of the vehicle along thetrackway, means for maintaining the circuit broken when once sointerrupted, and an outside source of electrical energy which is adaptedto energize the magnet controlling the polarized armature in either ,oftwo ways.

2. A si nal system for a vehicle comprising two s nals located thereon,two electromagnetica 1y operated devices jointly controlling saidsignals, one of said devices being polarized and the othernon-polarized, 'a normally closed holding circuit on the vehicleincluding the non-polarized device, means along the path of the vehicleenergizable positively or negatively and denergizable to control saiddevices, and an audible signal which is automatically actuated when thevehicle passes said means if the holding circuit becomes deenergizedthereby.

3. A signal system for a vehicle comprising two separately operablesignals, electrically operated means for operating either signalincluding electro-magnetic means having a neutral and a polarizedarmature, meansfor energizing the electro-magnetic means in either oftwo directions to cause the operation of-either signal, a normallyclosed circuit including the neutral armature, and means for maintainingthe circuit broken if once interrupted.

4. A signal system for a vehicle comprising two independent signals,electro-magnetic means having a polarized'and a neutral armature, anddevices operated by the electro-magnetic means accordingly as it isenergized in opposite directions to effect the operations of thedifl'erent signals, a normally closed circuit including a neutralarmature, and means for maintaining the circuit broken if onceinterrupted regard less of any condition or change of condition on thevehicle itself.

5. A signal system for a vehicle comprising a plurality of signalsindependent of yeach other, electrical means for actuating thesaineincluding a normally closed circuit,,a non-polarized device controllingthe circuit as the vehicle moves along the trackway, said neutralarmature and a contact with which it cooperates constituting means onthe vehicle for maintaining the circuit broken when so interrupted.

7 A signal system for a vehicle comprising a signal, electrical meansfor actuating the same including a normally closed circuit, anon-polarized device controlling the circuit, an electromagnet foroperating both devices, and means for maintaining the circuit broken ifonce interrupted and deenergized and until reenergized.

8. A system for controlling the movement of vehicles on a trackcomprising Wayside contact means, means for electrically energizing suchcontact means in either direction, two signals on a car, means includingan clectro-magnet for operating such signals by impulse received fromthe contact means,

means adapted to operate one signal or the other as such contact meansare energized in one direction or the other, in combination with meansfor automatically continuing the operation of either signal after thecar has passed the contact means, from which it has received anelectrical impulse, including aneutral armature for the electro-magnetand a contact therefor.

9. A signal system for railways, comprising on the car electro-magneticmeans provided with a polarized armature and a nonpolarized armature, asignal, means associated with the armatures and signal whereby thesignal is made operative when the nonpolarized armature is in oneposition and also when the non-polarized armature is in the otherposition and the polarized armature is in one position, means along thetrack for controlling the energization and direction of energization ofthe electro-magnetic means, a double throw switch, means associated withthe switch and polarized armature whereby the signal is made operativewhen the. switch is in either position, and means including a source ofelectric energy on the car for maintaining the energization of theelectro-magnetic means in the same direction after the means along thetrack has been passed by the car.

10. A signal system for railways, comprising on the car anelectro-magnet provided with a polarized armature and a nonpolarizedarmature, a signal, means associated with the armatures and signalwhereby the signal is made operative when the non-polarized armature isin one position and also when the non-polarized armature is in the otherposition. and the polarized armature is in one position, means along thetrack for controlling the energization and direction of energization ofthe magnet, a double throw switch, means associated with the switch andpolarized armature whereby the signal is made operative when the switchis in either position, and means including a source of electric energyon the car for maintaining the energization of the magnet in the samedirection after the means along the track have been passed by the car,and means for reversing the connection of said source of electric energyto the magnet.

11. A signal system for railways, com.- prising on the car anelectro-magnet, provided with a polarized armature and a nonpolarizedarmature, a signal, means associated with the armatures and signalwhereby the signal is made operative when the non-polarized armature isin one position and also when the non-polarized armature is in the otherposition and the polarized armature is in one position, and means alongthe track for controlling the energization and direction of energizationof the magnet.

12. A signal system for railways, comprising electro-magnetic means, apolarized armature and a non-polarized armature moved thereby, anelectrically operated signal made operative only when both armatures arein predetermined positions, means along the track for controlling theenergization and direction of energization of the electro-magneticmeans, and a source of electric energy carried by the car formaintaining the energization of the electro-magnetic means after themeans along the track has been passed by the car when such maintenanceof energization is of the samer polarity aS that of the means along thetrack. I

13. In a signal system for a vehicle moving along a trackway a normallyclosed circuit on the vehicle including a source of electric energy andan electro -magnet, means along the trackway including an outside sourceof electric energy for intermittently energizing the electro-maget ineither of two directions, and meal 3 for breaking the circuit, and alsofor maintaining the circuit broken after the vehicle has passed themeans along the trackway, when said outside source of electric energy isin opposition to the vehicle carried source of energy.

14. In a signal system for a vehicle moving along a trackway, a normallyclosed circuit on the vehicle including a source of electric energy andan electro-magnet, means including devices along the trackway forintermittently breaking the circuit, said means including an outsidesource of electric energy for intermittently energizing theelectro-magnet in either of two directions, and means for maintainingthe circuit broken after the vehicle has passed the means along thetrackway, when said outside source of electric energy is in oppositionto the vehicle carried source of energy.

15. A signal system for a vehicle .comprising a signal, electrical meansfor actuating the same including a normally closed circuit, a polarizedand a non-polarized device controlling the circuit, electro -magneticmeans for operating both devices, means for maintaining the circuitbroken if once interrupted, and means outside the vehicle forautomatically restoring the circuit to its closed condition.

16. A signal system for a vehicle comprising a signal, electrical meansfor actuating the same including a normally closed circuit, anon-polarized device controlling the circuit, electro-magnetic means foroperating the device, means including trackside mechanism forperiodically interrupting the circuit and either creating a new circuitincluding the same or leaving it open, means for maintaining the circuitbroken if thus left open, and means outside the vehicle forautomatically restoring the circuit to its closed condition.

17. In a signal system for a vehicle moving along a trackway, a normallyclosed circuit on the vehicle including a source of electric energy andelectro-magnetic means,

two armatures controlled by said electromagnetic means, one beingneutral and the other polamzed, means for intermittently interruptingsaid circuit during the passage of the vehicle along the trackway, meansfor maintaining the circuit broken when so interrupted, an outsidesource of electric energy to place the neutral armature in one positionand the polarized armature in either of two positions, and secondaryelectric circuits controlled -by:the neutral and polarized armatures. tI

18. In a signal system for a vehicle moving along a trackw;ay,,anormally closed circuit on thefvehic'le including a source of electricenergy and electromagnetic means, two armatures corittolledTby saidelectromagnetic means, I other polarized, means forintermittentlyinterrupting said circuit during the passage of the vehicle along thetrackway, means for maintaining the circuit broken when so interrupted,an outside source of electric energy to energize the electromagneticmeans in either of two directions, and secondary electric circuitscontrolled by the neutral and polarized armatures.

19. A system of the character set forth, including a vehicle, a normallyclosed circuit on the vehicle, devices operated by currents of differentpolarity in said circuit and by the breaking of the circuit, mechanismincluding trackside means for intermittently interrupting the circuitand supplying thereto current of different polarities while sointerrupted, and means included in the circuit forcontrolling it andmaintaining it open when interrupted by the trackside means and as-longas no current is supplied theretoby such means.

20. A syst'emof the character set forth, including a vehicle, a normallyclosed circuit on the vehicle, devices operated by currents of difierentpolarity in said circuit and by the breaking of the circuit, andmechanism including trackside means for intermittently interrupting thecircuit and supplying thereto current of different polarities while sointerrupted, or supplying no current thereto, 'means for reestablishingand maintaining the closed circuit in the interims between suchinterruptions when current'of either polarity has been thus supplied,and means for maintaining the circuit broken .when no current has beensupplied by the trackside means until such current is again supplied.

21'. The combination with a vehicle movable along a trackway, of acontrolling vehicle circuit, electro-magnetic means in said circuit, anarmature controlled by said elecone ibeing. neutral and the tro-magneticmeans and controlling the said vehicle circuit, means for intermittentlyinterrupting'the circuit as the car moves along the trackway, to permitits deenergization, means along the trackway for causing a current ofeither polarity to pass through the circuit when so interrupted, or forleaving it denergized, a plurality of electrically operated devices, andmeans controlled by said circuit for effecting the operation of onedevice when a current of one polarity is passed through said circuit andfor eifecting the operation of a second device when a current ofopposite polarity is passed therethrough or when the circuit isdeenergized.

22. The combination with a vehicle movable along a trackway, of acontrolling vehicle circuit, electro-magnetic means in said circuit, anarmature controlled by said electro-magnetic means and controlling thevehicle circuit, means for intermittently intrrupting the circuit as thecar moves along the trackway, to permit its deenergization, means alongthe trackway for effecting a varied energization of the circuit when sointerrupted, and a plurality of signaling devices controlled by saidcontrolling circuit and adapted to be selectively operated by thecharacter of the energization or by the deenergization of the circuitwhen interrupted.

23. The combination with a vehicle movable along a trackway, of acontrolling vehicle circuit, electro-magnetic means in said circuit, anarmature controlled by the said electromagnetic means and controllingthe circuit, means for intermittently interrupting the circuit as thecar moves along the trackway to permit its denergization, means alongthe trackway for causing a current of either polarity to pass throughthe circuit when so interrupted, or for leaving it deenergized aplurality of electrically operated devices, and circuits for'the devicescontrolled by the aforesaid armature for selectively operating the sameaccording to the polarity of the current passed therethrough or the lackof a current.

24. The combination with a vehicle mov-, able along a trackway, of acontrolling vehicle circuit, electro-magnetic means in said circuit, aneutral armature controlled by said electromagnetic means andcontrollingthe vehicle circuit, a polarized armature controlled by saidelectro-magnetic means, means for intermittently interruptin the circuitas the car moves along the trac rwav.

to permit the 'de'nergization of'said circuit, means along the trackwayfor causing a current of either polarity to pass through the circuitwhen so interrupted or for leaving said circuit deenergized, a pluralityof electrically operated devices, and circuits for said devices, saidcircuits being alternately closed'by the polarized armature when shifted by currents of opposite polarity in the vehicle circuit, and saidcircuits being also controlled by the neutral armature.-

25. The combination with a vehicle movable along a trackway, of acontrolling vehicle circuit, mechanism including means along thetrackway for intermittently interrupting the circuit to permit itsdee'nergization, means for energizing the circuit when so interrupted orleaving it dener- 75 gized, means on the vehicle controlled by theenergization or deenergization of said vehicle circuit for controllingsaid vehicle, circuit, and traflic controlling means controlled by saidvehicle circuit.

26. The combination with a vehicle movie able along a trackway, of acontrolling er] hicle circuit, mechanism including eme; along thetrackway for intermittently 3111-, terrupting the circuit to permit itsdeen'e'r- 85 gization, means for energizing the circuit by a current ofeither polarity or leaving it deenergized when so interrupted, means onthe vehicle controlled by the energization or deenergizationof thevehicle circuit for controlling said vehicle circuit, and trafiiccontrolling devices respectively controlled by currents of eitherpolarity flowing through the vehicle circuit and by the deenergizationof said circuit. 7

27, The combination with a vehicle movable along atrackway, of acontrolling vehicle circuit on the vehicle, mechanism including meansalong the trackway for intermittently interrupting the circuit to permitits deenergization, means in the vehicle circuit and controlled therebyfor also interrupting said circuit when dc'e'nergized by interruptionsalong the trackway, means; for energizing said vehicle circuit along thetrackway when interrupted, and traffic controlling means controlled bysaid vehicle circui In testimony whereof I aflix my signature inpresence of two witnesses.

PAUL J. SIMMEN. Witnesses:

